IF Nasser Hussain had any doubts about how he is valued as England's captain, he need only consult the press cuttings over the past week to realise the vast support he has from within the game.

His suggestion shortly after receiving the OBE in the New Year's Honours list that he may step down after next year's World Cup, which have subsequently been played down by Hussain himself, caused consternation in the corridors of power at Lord's.

England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tim Lamb, normally circumspect to the extreme in his comments, felt propelled into issuing a statement declaring he would do everything possible to persuade Hussain to carry on.

Leading commentators joined the debate, hailing him as one of the most popular captains in recent history - and a poll of the dressing room would almost certainly have delivered similar results.

Hussain was believed to be highly "embarrassed" about the situation, but privately it must have been all he needed to convince himself that this was a job worth keeping perhaps beyond the World Cup in South Africa.

The wholehearted support he received was a far cry from the reaction to his appointment in the summer of 1999 when critics claimed he was too much of a firebrand to be considered for the biggest job in English cricket.

His reputation for having a short fuse and several brushes with authority in his younger days led people to believe he did not have the calm temperament required to lead an international cricket team.

But every one of those dissenters has been forced to re-evaluate their opinion because Hussain, in partnership with coach Duncan Fletcher, has transformed England's fortunes at international level.

"Nasser's done a fantastic job for England since he took over as captain - and long may it continue," said David Graveney, England's chairman of selectors.

"When he was first appointed he may not have been the most popular choice. But he has more than justified his selection since.

"He's formed a great relationship with Duncan. He's very passionate about the way he goes about the job; he's very much in your face and he presents himself brilliantly to the media - and that helps the team."

Equally importantly, though, given that he took over a team with two former captains in the ranks in Alec Stewart and Michael Atherton, Hussain quickly earned the respect of his senior players.

Graveney said: "He has the total support of everybody in the dressing room, and as a captain in the end you live and die by the support of your players.

"I think both the ex-captains in the dressing room deserve credit for the way they've supported him because it is not easy going back to being a player after leading the side."

The confidence he gained from that has translated into his performance as a captain, and he has developed from the nervous leadership during his first series into a captain in complete command of his team during the recent Test series defeat in India.

"I've always thought he was a good captain - he was well schooled by Keith Fletcher at Essex - but in India I thought the way he deployed his bowlers was outstanding," said Graveney. "To get the balance right of trying to win the game but at the same time trying to protect young players was quite brilliant."

With few outstanding candidates queuing up to take his place, England can only hope Hussain listens to that support and extends his career for at least a few more years beyond the World Cup.